Packaging Machine

ABSTRACT

Machine for packaging products having parallelepiped shape, comprising a translating organ ( 1; 2 ) apt to translate a block of products, formed by stacks placed side by side of products, by exerting a push on at least one face of the block, said translating organ ( 1; 2 ) comprising at least two mutually mobile pushing members ( 3; 4 ) so as to implement a push distribution which can be adapted to the size of the block face whereon the push must be exerted to obtain the block translation.

The present invention relates to a machine for packaging products apt to be arranged in blocks formed by stacks placed side by side and a method for moving and packaging said blocks according to the preamble of the main claims.

In the state of art the automatic machines for packaging products with the parallelepiped shape move stacks of products forming blocks constituted by stacks placed side by side and inserting such blocks in boxes which are subsequently closed. The motion of the blocks formed by stacks of products can include a horizontal and/or vertical translation and a rotation around a vertical axis. The products handled by the machine can be books or boxes, for example boxes of drugs or other products with parallelepiped or cubic shape and therefore suitable to be arranged in stacks placed side by side forming, as a whole, a block with the shape of a parallelepiped and therefore apt to be inserted inside a box, which is subsequently closed and it can be used, for example, for an easier and safer transportation of the products themselves. Said machines, then, must be able to be adapted to package products with different sizes which can be generally arranged on one, two, four, eight or more stacks placed side by side to form a block. For translating simultaneously the stacks of products composing a block, it must be pushed onto a face, so as to distribute the push on the different stacks of products forming one face of the block, which are not joined therebetween. To this purpose, for example, when the stacks of products have to be lifted simultaneously to insert them into a box, the stacks of products are arranged onto a mobile platform constrained to a lifting organ. The size of such mobile platform substantially must correspond to the size of the block face whereon the platform must exert its push, so as not to interfere with the box walls and not to extend beyond the box opening perimeter allowing the box tabs to close. Blocks of different sizes need platforms of different sizes, in order to allow performing the described procedures: a bigger platform would not allow closing the box tabs and a much smaller platform would not distribute the push on all stacks of products, but only on some thereof, thus not allowing the translation of the whole block inside the box. Even to translate horizontally the stacks of products forming a block a platform is required distributing the push on all stacks forming a block face, so as to translate the stacks of products without destroying the block.

A problem of the nowadays existing packaging machines is that depending upon the box size and therefore the sizes, the number and the arrangement of the stacks of products, it is necessary to change the platform allowing to translate the stacks of products arranged in a regular way to form a block. The replacement of this machine organ needs the manual intervention of an operator, with consequent machine standstill and increase in time and costs.

The object of the present invention is then to implement a machine and a method allowing to overcome the mentioned drawbacks, in particular an object is to implement a packaging machine not requesting the replacement of an organ when the block size and the number or the size of the products composing it change.

Another object is to obtain a machine allowing a greater flexibility.

An additional object is to reduce the packaging operation time when the format of the products and of the boxes is changed.

Said objects are achieved by a machine and a process the inventive features thereof are highlighted by the claims.

The invention will be better understood by the following detailed description, provided by simple way of example, and not for limitative purposes, of an embodiment illustrated in the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the machine for packaging books;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a first portion of the machine with four stacks of books put near in groups of two;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the first portion of the machine during the simultaneous horizontal translation of two stacks of books;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a first portion of the machine wherein a block constituted by four stacks of books has been formed;

FIG. 5 shows the first translation organ with the spacing organ of the blades;

FIG. 6 shows the machine during the transferring of the block formed by four stacks of books from the first to the second portion of the machine;

FIG. 7 shows the second portion of the machine during the vertical translation of the block formed by four stacks of books and the box pre-arranged to receive the block of books;

FIG. 8 shows the second portion of the machine with the block of books just inserted into the box;

FIG. 9 shows the second fork translation organ with the approached prongs;

FIG. 10 shows the second fork translation organ with the spaced prongs;

FIG. 11 shows a portion of the machine wherein the second fork vertical translation organ with the approached prongs can be seen, arranged between four vertical guides;

FIG. 12 shows a portion of the machine wherein the second fork vertical translation organ with the spaced prongs can be seen, arranged between four vertical guides.

The example shown in this case relates to a machine for packaging books, but they could be products of other kind, such as for example boxes of drugs or products with parallelepiped shape.

By referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the packaging machine comprises a first portion A wherein the stacks of products (books), coming from another portion of the machine not represented in this case, are arranged side by side, a second portion B which comprises a vertical translation organ, a third portion C which picks up the closed cardboards of the boxes, it opens them, it arranges the open box at the end of the guides above the vertical translation organ, so that it can be filled with the block of products which is lifted, and a fourth portion D which completes the box closing and it takes it away.

FIG. 2 shows the first portion A of the machine wherein the stacks of books are placed side by side by resting against the barrier 10. In FIG. 3 a first translation organ 1 can be seen, comprising three blades 3, which exerts a push onto the block formed by two stacks of books by translating it horizontally. In FIG. 4 it can be seen that a block formed by four stacks of books has been formed, which have been moved onto a second portion of the machine (not represented in this case by sake of simplicity). In FIG. 5 the first translation organ 1 is shown which comprises three blades 3 with elongated shape, parallel and coplanar, mobile one with respect to the other one. Under the term “blade” a pushing member with elongated shape is meant in this case, which could also be the prong of a fork. The three blades 3 are the pushing members of the books and they are mutually connected by a spacing organ 5 so that the mutual distance can vary, but the distance between two subsequent blades remains equal or, in other terms, so that the central blade remains always equidistant from each one of the two end blades. To this purpose the spacing organ 5 imposes to the central blade a motion with respect to an end blade which is half motion of an end blade with respect to the other end blade. The possibility of varying the distance of the three blades 3 allows distributing the push by adapting it to the size of the block of products to be translated and to the number of products arranged onto the same block face. The blades' elongated shape is useful to distribute the push onto the whole height of the stacks of books, whereas the central blade is useful to exert a push onto two stacks at the same time, by avoiding the rotation which could involve a push exerted in a not perfectly central way from a blade onto a stack. The block of books, horizontally translated by the first translation organ 1, is pushed onto the second fork translation organ 2 (visible in FIG. 6). Said second translation organ or fork 2 is apt to translate vertically the block of books or products. The pushing members of said fork 2 comprise the prongs 4 of the fork 2 joined by a spacing organ 6 which is apt to move the prongs 4 by increasing or decreasing the mutual distance and by substantially keeping equal the distances between the two subsequent prongs 4 (FIGS. 9 and 10).

In FIG. 7 it can be seen that the second fork translation organ 2 lifts the block of books by moving among four guides 11, which can be spaced out together the prongs 4 of the second translation organ 2. The box 12 is arranged at the end of the guides 11, ready to receive the block of books. In order to speed up the operations for positioning the box at the top of the guides 11, at least one of the guides 11 is fixed, whereas the other ones are movable with respect thereto.

In FIG. 8 the block of books has been inserted in the box 12, the box side tabs have been closed by two not rectilinear, but bent levers 13 which in the example end with a conical member, in order to be able to close better the box tabs by leaving the prongs 4 of the second fork translation organ inserted under the tabs. In order to allow a partial closure of the box tabs above the prongs 4 of the fork 2, the prongs 4 have a flat and elongated shape with thickness smaller than 2 cm, preferably equal to few millimetres.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 the motion of the prongs 4 of the second translation organ 2 is shown. They can be moved away and approached, but the distance between the two subsequent prongs remains equal. An engine, not shown in figure, implements this motion by actuating the spacing organ 6 visible in FIGS. 6 and 8.

At last, FIGS. 11 and 12 show how the motion of the prongs 4 of the second translation organ 2 is performed also by the guides 11, so that the vertical motion of the prongs 4 takes place always inside the guides 11 which address the block of products inside the box arranged at the top thereof. The box with the products is then closed and it comes out of the machine.

The mutual motion of the prongs 4 of the fork 2 is suitable to distribute the push upwards the fork 2 on a surface equal to the one of the lower face of the block of books or products to be lifted. In this way, when the block has been inserted into the box, the fork prongs do not project laterally and two box tabs can be closed by the levers 13, bent for the presence of a conical termination.

The pushing members, which can include both the blades 13 of the first translation organ 1 and the prongs 4 of the second translation organ 2 (the fork), are mutually mobile and before the translation operation they are arranged so as to distribute the push and to adapt it to the sizes of the block to be translated and to the number of the products composing the face whereon the push must be exerted. In particular, the first translation organ comprises at least two blades 3 with elongated shape and placed side by side which have a variable mutual distance. Preferably, the first translation organ 1 comprises three or more blades 3 placed side by side, the surface thereof results to be tangent to a same pushing plane. The spacing organ 5 connecting said blades 3 placed side by side is apt to allow varying the mutual distances between the blades 3, by keeping substantially equal the distances between two subsequent blades 3.

The second translation organ comprises a fork 2 the prongs 4 thereof, substantially parallel, have a variable mutual distance so as to distribute the push by adapting it to the size of the block of products to be translated. A spacing organ 6 connects said prongs 4 so as to allow varying the mutual distances between the prongs 4, by keeping substantially equal the distances between two subsequent prongs 4. The spacing organ 6 is actuated by an engine. Also the prongs 4 of the fork 2 have a surface tangent to a pushing plane which is the one whereon the block of books to be lifted rests. Before the translation operation the distance between the prongs 4 is modified so as to distribute the push and to adapt it to the sizes of the block to be translated and to the number of the products composing it.

During its operation the packaging machine receives the stacks of products, it places the rows of products side by side by implementing a block of products arranged onto a fork 2, which lifts vertically the block of products and it inserts it into the box 12. Two box side tabs are closed by the levers 13 above the prongs 4 of the fork 2. The box with the books inside thereof is then translated onto another portion of the machine and in this way the prongs are taken off from below the block inserted into the box. Subsequently, the other box tabs are closed and the box with the products inside thereof goes out of the machine. When the products to be packaged change, the pushing members are positioned in a way suitable to adapt the push to the sizes of the block to be translated and to the stacks of products composing it.

Of course, it is possible that the translation organs comprise mutually mobile pushing members, for example apt to rotate one with respect to the other one, so as to open like a book and obtain a different distribution of the push. The mutual motions of the pushing members can be of various type. The aim is to adapt the push surface size to adapt the push distribution to the sizes of the block to be translated. In this way the block can be translated and inserted in a box by keeping unaltered the mutual position of the products composing it.

The patent wants also to protect a process for packaging products arranged in blocks formed by stacks placed side by side, comprising the translation of a block by means of a translation organ, which can be for example the first translation organ 1, equipped with pushing members comprising the blades 3 or the second translation organ 2 (the fork) equipped with pushing members comprising the prongs 4. Said mutually mobile pushing members 3 and 4 are at least two and preferably at least three. Before starting the translation of the block of stacks of products, said pushing members 3 or 4 are moved one with respect to the other one and arranged so as to adapt the push distribution to the sizes of the block to be translated. Preferably, said process comprises the operation of moving parallel and coplanar pushing members so as to modify the mutual distance thereof by keeping substantially equal the distances between two subsequent pushing members, in case the pushing members are three or more.

Thanks to the fact that the pushing members are mutually mobile, the push can be distributed so as to adapt to the size of the block of products to be translated, without having to replace components of the machine when the block size changes.

Thanks to the fact that the parallel blades 3 of the first translation organ 1 or the prongs 4 of the fork 2 can be spaced out so as to keep equal the distances between two subsequent blades or prongs, the push is distributed in a homogeneous way. 

1. Machine for packaging products having a parallelepiped shape, comprising a translation organ (1; 2) apt to translate a block of products, formed by stacks placed side by side of products, by exerting a push on at least a block face, characterized in that said translation organ (1; 2) comprises at least two mutually mobile pushing members (3; 4) so as to implement a push distribution which can be adapted to the size of the block face whereon the push must be exerted to obtain the block translation.
 2. The packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said pushing members of the translation organ (1) comprise at least two blades (3) which have a variable mutual distance.
 3. The packaging machine according to the previous claim, characterized in that it comprises at least three blades (3) with elongated shape and substantially parallel, the surface thereof results to be tangent to a same plane.
 4. The packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said translation organ comprises a fork (2), the pushing members comprising the prongs (4) of said fork (2).
 5. The packaging machine according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it comprises a spacing organ (5; 6) connecting said pushing members (3; 4) so as to allow to vary the mutual distances between the pushing members (3; 4), by keeping substantially equal the distances between two subsequent pushing members (3; 4).
 6. The packaging machine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said spacing organ (5) is actuated by an engine.
 7. The packaging machine according to claim 4, characterized in that said prongs (4) have a flat and elongated shape with thickness smaller than 2 cm.
 8. The packaging machine according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises at least a bent lever (13) apt to close at least a tab of a box above the prongs (4) of the fork (2).
 9. Process for packaging products arranged in blocks formed by stacks placed side by side comprising the translation of a block by means of a translation organ (1; 2), which comprises at least two mutually mobile pushing members (3; 4) and apt to exert a push on a face of the block to be translated, characterized in that before starting the translation of the block, said pushing members (3; 4) are moved one with respect to the other one and arranged so as to adapt the push distribution to the sizes of the block face whereon the push is wanted to be exerted.
 10. The process for packaging products according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said pushing members (3; 4) in number greater than or equal to three, with elongated shape, parallel and coplanar, are moved so as to vary the mutual distance thereof by keeping substantially equal the distances between two subsequent pushing members. 